Haemorrhoids are a common medical condition, in which vascular structures in the anal canal become swollen or inflamed. Internal haemorrhoids usually present with painless rectal bleeding, while external haemorrhoids may produce few symptoms or if thrombosed significant pain and swelling in the area of the anus. The present invention is concerned with the treatment of internal haemorrhoids.
One treatment for internal haemorrhoids is elastic band ligation. In this procedure, elastic bands are applied onto an internal haemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply. Within 5-7 days, the withered haemorrhoid falls off. It is common for several haemorrhoids to be ligated in the same procedure, and some practitioners prefer to apply two bands per haemorrhoid.
Many different types and combinations of devices are known. For example, the McGivney haemorrhoidal ligator uses a combination of re-usable instruments. It requires (at least) two handed operation, mechanical gripping of the haemorrhoid, and can be loaded with only one band at a time.
Disposable multiband dispensing devices, are available commercially. They are very effective, however, they require that suction be available. Whilst suction systems are routinely present in hospitals, they are not generally available in medical practitioner's rooms. Hand pumped suction based devices have been developed, for example the CRH O'Regan system. However, this is only able to dispense a single band.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,563 to Cosman discloses an instrument combining a ligator with a conventional set of forceps. It allows for only a single band to be mounted, and is taught to be integrated with the endoscope via a track.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multiband dispensing ligature device which does not require the provision of suction.